1. Field
This invention relates generally to media, particularly to a system and method to record media content onto a media player.
2. Related Arts
Digitization of pictures, music and movies brings convenience to the entertainment and media industry. Digital media has proven to be a highly efficient and effective distribution mechanism. For example, digital music download, music ripping and music CD burning by consumers are common.
The ease of media distribution leads to major unintended business implications, especially in illegal copying of media content. Examples include illegal music download through peer-to-peer copying mechanisms like Napster™, or Kazaa™. Or more frequently, a consumer copies downloaded music in MP3 format to CD's and MP3 players. In one example, John is a high school student. He, on Tuesday, purchased and downloaded last week's top 10 pop songs. He burned a music CD for his desktop music system with the songs. In addition, he ripped the songs to his iPod™, his sisters' MP3 players, and his father's home media center. After John talked to his friends in the school, John copied the files to his classmates' MP3 players.
Several security mechanisms are being introduced to address the problem. They are mainly related to digital right management (DRM), where a signature is put into a media file, and a user is given a key. A media player would be able to play the media file only after the user presents the key. Often times, the key is given to the media player so that the media player can play the media file while other media players cannot play the media file. Although such security mechanisms partially solve the copying problem, they are very inconvenient to users. As in the above example, John downloaded to his PC the songs with DRM protection. In one embodiment, the key was given to John's PC. John was able to listen to the songs. After John ripped the songs to his iPod, he cannot play the songs with his iPod. Over a weekend, John's buys a new PC and transfers the songs to the new PC. John cannot play the songs on the new PC as the new PC does not have the key.
The above illustrates a need for a way to distribute media content and to protect against improper copying of media content, and therefore a need for a solution to record media content under protected condition.